1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic equipment, in which an operation panel is detachable with respect to an apparatus main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an electronic equipment, in which an operation panel is detachable with respect to an apparatus main body, there is an on-vehicle AV (Audio/Visual) apparatus, in which an operation panel is detachable with respect to a holding or retaining member freely movable between a close position to cover a front surface of the apparatus main body and an open position to expose or open the front surface of the apparatus main body to the open air.
For example, according to one holding mechanism, the operation panel is attached to and held by a slide board, which is shaped in a longitudinal flat plate and holds the operation panel, at the front surface side of the apparatus main body.
The slide board is moved by a driving mechanism from the close position or condition that the operation panel is normally set to the apparatus main body, to the open position or condition that the front surface of the apparatus main body as well as a record medium insertion slot disposed thereon is exposed to the open air, so that it possible to insert or remove therethrough a record medium such as an optical disc or the like.
On the both sides portions in a longitudinal direction of the slide board, holding members are equipped. Each of the holding members is applied with an elastic force toward concave portions formed on the both side portions of the slide board so that the holding members are engaged with those concave portions.
In the lower part of the substantial center of the slide board, a slot portion is formed, while a stopper is equipped on the back side surface of the operation panel at a position opposing to the slot portion. Accordingly, the stopper is inserted in or engaged with the slot portion.
When the operation panel attached to and held by the slide board is to be detached, a user firstly moves the slide board from the close condition to the open condition by operating an operation button for removing. Next, the user operates the stopper to releases the engagement between the stopper and the slot portion. Moreover, the user pulls out the operation panel so as to release the engagement between the holding members and the concave portions, to thereby completely detach the operation panel from the slide board.
However, according to the above mentioned on-vehicle AV apparatus, the operation panel cannot be easily detached from the slide board, because the user has to keep pressing the operation button for removing while pulling out the operation panel. Moreover, when the user pulls out the operation panel while pressing the operation button for removing, the orientation of the operation panel tends to be diagonal or inclined in the middle of the sliding movement, because the user has to slide the holding members for a significant distance of the operation panel. As a result, it is certainly difficult to detach the operation panel.